


Wandering Encounters

by Aria_Breuer



Series: Item Insertion Parody [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Gollum versus Cat, Item Insertion Parody, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-25 12:30:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7532869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Breuer/pseuds/Aria_Breuer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After falling through The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring book, Mortar enters Middle-earth. However, this cat is about to encounter Smeagol, who claims the One Ring is his "precious". As the five hundred years go by, Mortar and Smeagol, now mutated into the creature named Gollum, have one fighting episode after the next, in order to claim the One Ring, which Mortar calls his scratch toy.</p><p>A one-shot series focused on the misadventures between Mortar and Smeagol | Gollum. The first prequel in the Item Insertion Parody Anthology. Alternate Reality. The very first one-shot series I wrote back in 2011, over on Fanfiction.net, and the very first story I wrote over on Fanfiction.net, prior to <i>Reader's Retribution</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Vanishing Act

**Author's Note:**

> This story follows a series of one-shots, involving a black cat and Gollum. The parody I’m about to work on is following _The Lord of the Rings_ books, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The reader in this story is an OC by the name of Erita Rashkin, who will play a more pivotal role in the first story of the main series. For now, enjoy the first prequel of the Item Insertion Parody Anthology. This is also the first story, going back, that I worked on for this site. Enjoy. :)

 

"I don't want to read this anymore!" I shouted as I neared the end of the last chapter. The book I was reading was about the American West, back in the 1800s. It was a good book, but attention turned elsewhere.

I stared absentmindedly at my bookcase. All three shelves had at least two or three western book series lined up neatly, revealing the books’ spines in the order of my choosing. Hung on the walls of my bedroom were posters, featuring classic western films. Here and there were a few Legolas posters from _The Lord of the Rings_ movie trilogy. I smiled at each poster, which single-handedly drew my attention.

On the outside, I couldn’t resist talking about Legolas with my friends. On the inside was a different story, for I had mixed feelings about the Elven Prince. Although I liked the character Legolas, I despised the way he was written in fanfiction and in the books. I wanted so badly to get back at Legolas for how perfect he seemed. It was my chance to show everyone, who was a fan of _The Lord of the Rings_ what I thought about how Legolas should react to whatever situation came his way.

By now, you’re wondering who I am. I apologize for any misinterpretations given of me. I’ll come clean now… I think. I’m Erita Rashkin, a raven-haired young woman still living at home, before I set out for the college life. Despite my flaws, I am a huge western fan and into the boys’ game of Cowboys and Indians. So yes, that makes me a tomboy to a point, I guess. I was raised with two annoying older brothers who enjoyed picking their younger sister.

Back to the story, which I must say is very…

"Erita, will you take Mr. Cuddle-Muffin out for his walk?" called my mother, right as a black cat rushed underneath my bed.

"Sure Mom!" I called back, knowing I would enjoy this.

"Thank you!" My mom called out from the kitchen, where she was preparing supper.

For those who may have skipped ahead a bit, Mr. Cuddle-Muffin is the black cat that just ran into my bedroom a moment ago. He never took well to strangers or dogs, and would occasionally hiss at my dog, in a fierce effort to get away from him. My mom almost had Mr. Cuddle-Muffin declawed, but he refused to come out of his cage at the veterinarian’s office. He has been my pet for the past three years now. How he became so feisty is another story, when I was playing too rough with him.

Back to the story: Right as I grabbed the book titled _The Fellowship of the Ring_ from my bookshelf, Mr. Cuddle-Muffin growled low and deep. Before I could pull the book entirely out of the bookshelf, I glanced over my shoulder in time to see the black cat flee the scene.

"Erita, will you catch that cat before he chases the dog again?" shouted my mom. I knew she was furious because her tone was even and firm.

I groaned. "Yes Mom. I'm coming."

Seconds later, Mr. Cuddle-Muffin returned and knocked me over. The book was flung into the air, sliding under the bed where I could neither see or find it. But I was too slow, for Mr. Cuddle-Muffin fled under the bed, making one final growl before mysteriously falling silent. This was very odd. Usually, a cat would let someone know if they were in danger or caught in something he had trouble and needed someone’s help. He meowed for neither, but then I couldn’t hear his low purring sounds he made when he was calm.

I found my book right away. The book was opened to the conversation between Gandalf and Frodo, in which Gandalf told the gentle-hobbit about Sméagol’s past, where Deagol had the One Ring and they fought over it. One part of the tale that was new was Gandalf mentioning a black cat, who reappeared and disappeared out of legend. I was stunned and confused. Did Gandalf mean my cat? I wanted to believe Mr. Cuddle-Muffin came out of hiding by now.

He didn’t for hours. I was worried about him, soon after I read the passage in the book. He may have been a very feisty cat, but he was my cat. I was fond of him, even as I pored through the pages of the first book in _The Lord of the Rings_ trilogy.

*.*.*

Weeks turned into months. There was still no sign of Mr. Cuddle-Muffin anywhere in the house. After two months, my parents gave up the search. But I never stopped looking for my cat. He may have been rough around the edges, but I felt certain he would return as the same adolescent cat I bought at the humane society on my sixteenth birthday.

As college drew closer, I took down many of my posters. The only poster I kept hung on the wall, until I was ready for my first day as a college student, was one involving Legolas standing in the Mirkwood Forest. For some reason, a black cat lurked in the shadows behind the Elven Prince. Even now, I wondered if this black cat was the same one that mysteriously vanished from my bedroom, the day I picked up _The Fellowship of the Ring_ from my bookcase.


	2. Sméagol and the Cat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this second one-shot, Sméagol/Gollum fights a cat for the One Ring. This will be a running battle, which will crossover into the main parts of this series, which ties into The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Also, and what will follow for the rest of the series, the interactions between the cat and Sméagol/Gollum’s perspectives will follow into the third person perspective. Only the reader OCs have the first person setting throughout the one-shots and the main story sequence.
> 
> This is a heavily descriptive chapter.

The black cat found no allies on the grassy countryside. The forest animals fled form him and leapt out of a bush. The cat searched for his master, but couldn’t find her. And that pleased the cat. _Good riddance_ , the cat growled low. _Now I can hunt for mice and rabbits without a leash. I’m free!_

The cat sprinted through the forest like wildfire. He was delighted. No master to take care of him. No masters who chased him and pulled on his tail, which he detested the most…

He sprinted after a baby rabbit, snatching it away from its mother before she caught him. Finding a good spot to sit down, under a tree, the cat wolfed down the baby rabbit. As he sat in a cozy spot, wondering what to do next, the cat’s thoughts fell upon his master. She only gave him canned food, not live game. Where was he supposed to get more food? He needed a morsel, something to ease his aching stomach.

Trudging on through the forest, the black cat came across a river bank. It was here that two little men fought over something shimmery. This shimmering light triggered a gut instinct inside the cat. He was curious over the golden glint. If only he could have a taste of the beautiful light. He meowed, pretending to be in pain. Did it work? No, for the two men didn’t know he was there.

As the two men, one with lanky, thick hair and the other with dark hair, continued their fight, the bright circled flopped on the grassy ground. The black cat sniffed the circular donut. It certainly seemed worthy to him. Unsure how long the two men’s fight would last, the cat snatched the circular donut in his mouth, fleeing back inside the forest before anyone noticed him.

*.*.*

Murder flourished in Sméagol’s eyes. The only thing he cared about was the ring. He continued to choke his friend Déagol until he stopped breathing. A moment of relief crossed through Sméagol’s thoughts, but it was less than joyful. He was broken inside. And yet, his mind wanted the ring. In haste, he opened Déagol’s stilled hand, discovering the ring was missing. He cried for his birthday present, moments before finding tooth wounds on the back of Déagol’s no open hand.

In haste, Sméagol scanned the area for the ring. He almost gave up when a rustling sound drove his attention to the bushes. Peering down at one of the branches, he found a tiny gold ring, landing next to his right foot. Sméagol picked up the ring in triumph. Just as he was about to put it on, a mature black beast zoomed out from the bushes, knocking the hobbit backwards onto the grass. The ring fell from Sméagol’s hand, tumbling through the air until it thudded on the grassy ground for the fourth time that day.

With a grunt, Sméagol sneered at the beast as it picked up the ring, carrying it in its mouth. Oh no it didn’t. Sméagol flung himself on top of the cat, causing it to spit out the ring. Cat and hobbit gazed at each other in shock. The ring, in the meantime, rolled towards the river bank. In haste, the cat clawed the hobbit. It nearly took off if Sméagol hadn’t knocked the cat senseless with a stick. The river hobbit rushed towards the bank, found the ring and placed it on his index finger.

*.*.*

The black cat stirred, shaking his head several times to snap out of the daze… wait. The little man took off with his circular donut… disc… _toy!_ The cat was fed up with this little man. But where was the little man? The grass moved on its own, in the opposite direction, vanishing from the cat’s black-and-white sight. But there was something else. His vision increased, as did the rest of his senses. His smell was much keener now, as opposed to back home. Like a hound dog he became, sniffing the ground and following the little man’s tracks through the forest.

The cat followed the little man through the countryside. Sunset drew near on the horizon. By that time, he reached a village, filled with men, women and littler children. Minding his steps and the dirt road, the cat found several holes dug up, creating warm, comfy houses. This made the cat wonder what world he entered and why the little man lived in a hole like a live rabbit…

In a moment, the cat at last found the little man chiding and snickering at him. Was he mocking him? The cat hissed aggressively. In a mad dash, he rushed after the little man, who vanished once again. The cat slammed into a barrel of hay. Darting out of the hay barrel, he shook himself off. He would find the little man for sure this time! He wanted his chew toy back. His teeth longed to use the chew toy as a sharpener. It was so smooth. His glittering, circular plaything.

Several times, the cat heard a rustling sound in the village. Only when the rustling sound stopped that evening, the cat found shelter under on a thick tree branch, high enough so that he was away from vicious dogs that would bite his tail without remorse. He wouldn’t give up stealing his scratch toy from the little man, if it was the last thing he would do.

*.*.*

The cat thus began his search for the ring. He picked up the little man’s scent two years later. By then, he spotted the first drips of fresh blood trickling down a dirt road, driving his sense of smell into a rigid state for a month-and-a-half. After the first month, he was accustomed to Sméagol’s blood, even after Sméagol mutated into the creature Gollum.

And so the battle between Gollum and the cat pursued. Over time, the cat lost his color blindness, when he had possession of the One Ring. The cat adjusted to his surroundings in this colorful light. What surprised the cat more was how little he aged physically. He was unaware, until after his fifteenth birthday, how he continued to live on past the normal span of cat years. Finding this advantage useful, the cat continued stealing his scratch toy for examination… until Gollum snatched it right back.

Gollum wasn’t as fortunate after reclaiming the ring. On several occasions, when he won it from the cat, Gollum found, when putting on the ring, gashes cut into the skin, sending blood to run down his hand. He lashed out in pain, cursing the cat for what it had done to his Precious.

The cat snickered in relief, knowing Gollum got what he deserved. After five years of non-stop battle, Gollum fled into the Misty Mountains, unaware of the ring constantly re-healing itself by using his blood. During these rare moments, when he wasn’t searching for the ring, the cat looked for food to ease his constant stomachaches.


	3. The Sneaky Schemes

Eight years passed since the black cat last battled Sméagol – or is it Gollum? – for his scratch toy. In spite of his growing obsession for the Ring… well, the cat found no other reason for why he longed for the golden donut… eh, toy.

Throughout the four seasons, the cat found his teeth were sharper. He lost some of his back teeth, due to gnawing on the ring for sixteen years. He was aware of this, including his change in diet. But nothing stopped him from sneaking into the deepest cavern of the Misty Mountains, just to grab some fish from Gollum’s hands.

Since the ring was with Gollum the longest, the cat could stand the bright sunlight outdoors. How long would this last before the scratch toy took possession of him again? He didn’t want to know the answer to this question.

From what little light he found in the cave’s entrance, the cat gazed at the watery reflection. His eyes changed briefly to red. Although the irises were yellow for a few brief moments, there was something else the cat noticed. His eyes were maddened with greed and a longing he couldn’t ignore. He knew he needed that scratch toy. He would try anything to grab it from Gollum, even it took his life.

Moving away from the water, the black cat sniffed the tunnels a second time. At last, he found what he was looking for: Gollum using a boat to sail across the underwater lake. The cat assumed he was after fish… which did make his mouth water. In a great splash, the cat skidded across the water, leaping onto the boat. Gollum was stunned. Why wouldn’t the cat leave him alone? Why did it have to catch him, so it could steal his Precious?

Gollum moaned in annoyance. "Cat should return home. Cat shouldn't mess with Gollum anymore. We know what to do with nice cat, don't we precious? Yes, we do. G _ollum_ , _gollum_ …"

 _Gollum should know when to stop talking,_ the cat thought, _Or Gollum will be hurt badly._ He snickered, melancholically.

"What does Cat think is funny? Gollum not laugh at cat. We…" Gollum was interrupted by the cat, who pounced on him. In vain, the cat missed his chance to knock the gangly creature off the boat. Gollum followed in suit, attempting to throw the cat off his boat.

The two stopped their battle, for a silver fish leapt out of the water. In slow motion, the cat and Gollum watched the fish, hoping to savor this moment. Time sped up again. As for the fish, it hit the watery surface, returning to the lake’s underwater world. Gollum and the cat glared at one another. Their fight commenced, in which the black cat hissed and growled. He hoped to buy himself some time, if there was much, to take the ring from the creature.

Without warning, Gollum grabbed the nape behind the cat's neck and told him, "Cat should be more careful when fighting Gollum or we will find our own way to beat him. Cat should never play roughly with Gollum. So we will call him Pyre because Cat cannot keep his spirits down, without giving Gollum a hard time. Yes, Pyre shouldn't do that, _gollum!_ Now shoo, Pyre, and leave Gollum alone!" He threw the cat towards the lake like parchment paper.

The cat splashed the water’s surface in seconds. He would have drowned hadn't the ring given him a skill in swimming. Resurfacing, realizing once again he had been defeated by Gollum, the cat groaned in agony. Swimming back to shore, the cat thought of all the ways he could throw the creature off guard. Arriving on the small beach, the cat shook himself off, before licking his feet, arms and head, using his paws and tongue as a means of giving himself a bath.

He regretted watching Gollum jump up and down in the boat, cheerfully speaking loudly to himself without much care. The cat hated the name Gollum chose for him. He sneezed at the thought quickly, deciding he wanted nothing more to do with Gollum, except to take his scratch toy back for good this time.

Of course, he needed a new name: Mr. Cuddle-Muffin proved too much for him and Pyre made him sound like he was literally on fire. He needed something more… some name his parents gave him at birth…

He realized what was missing! He was used to having things his own way. The name he picked was the one his mother, his only cat friend during his kitten years, had called him: Mortar. He figured the name Mortar would give him an advantage against the creature Gollum. Better than the name Pyre. He did not know why his thoughts returned to this name. But for once his mind spurred up plots for defeating Gollum and taking back the scratch toy back.

Mortar the cat ran across the beach, where he saw a small rock island looming above the water. The cat saw Gollum standing on the rock, peering down at something in the palm of his hand and talking to it in low whispers. Before Gollum glanced up at him in panic, Mortar fled the scene, running as far away from the island as was needed.

He stopped running and realized: how was he going to get his scratch toy from Gollum now? He knew he needed to recruit someone, to set free his toy from the gangly creature. But who would be willing to do the job? Mortar thought over this for a good, long minute. A moment later, he charged through the tunnels, past Gollum’s cave. He would find a way to get his prize. Oh yes, he would do so.

*.*.*

Gollum noticed a slinky, feline figure running across the shoreline. The only way he could keep the cat away from the ring was to hide it. So he did, and soon, in a secret place on the island. Once this task was done, Gollum climbed into the boat and sailed to the main land.

As he approached the small beach, Gollum addressed himself, "Pyre isn't smart enough to outwit precious. No _gollum_ , _gollum_. We have a plan to get rid of Pyre once and for all. Yes, precious." He added in a slippery, wicked voice, "We will meet cat again in dark places." With that, Gollum crawled on his hands and knees away from the boat, advancing through the deeper tunnels under the Misty Mountains.

*.*.*

By the end of a tunnel, Mortar believed he lost Gollum. As the black cat took another few steps forward, he could hear the creature’s sinister, happy cackles. Mortar knew the only way to get rid of Gollum was to knock him out with… something. Seconds passed. The cat slunk off to a short ledge, where a small boulder lay nearby. Just as Gollum entered the passage, Mortar used his weight, pressing up against the boulder. The boulder nearly took the breath out of him. However, the black cat hadn’t expected Gollum to arrive.

"Pyre, oh Pyre, where are you?" asked Gollum aloud in a slippery, dark tone. "Gollum just wants to play with you. Oh, yes he does precious."

In a single bound, Mortar miss the boulder. He crashed into a wall, landing on the stone floor with a massive headache. He moved out of the way in time, missing Gollum’s hands. Hissing at the gangly creature, Mortar prepared for another attack. His hair stood up across his body and tail. Once again, he and Gollum fought until sunset, both desperate to have the ring for himself.

*.*.*

Mortar continued to track Gollum down. He had to find out where the creature misplaced his scratch toy. It took Mortar two months to realize his scratch toy was still on the rock island. Gollum was clever. Even if the black cat risked swimming out to the island, he would be too worn down to face Gollum again. This time, the creature had the advantage.

During the next three years, Mortar mingled with the Goblins of the Misty Mountains. He would find another way to take the ring from Gollum. He wasn’t gullible enough to trust Orcs and Goblins, and yet he spent too much of his time alone. And yet, the scratch toy was calling to him, pulling at him physically and mentally. Whatever was wrong with him, Mortar knew he could overcome the ring’s power, but Gollum was too dependent on the scratch toy to give up his “precious”.

This was all Mortar needed to keep his sanity in check… or so he thought.


	4. Another Loss

Spring had sprung throughout Middle-earth. Inside the tunnels of the Misty Mountains, Gollum searched for the black cat. He was fed up playing the cat-and-mouse game. Only Mortar was nowhere to be found. Gollum wasn't aware that Pyre – as Gollum would call the cat – mingled with Orcs and Goblins. He was more focused on fixing the cat. His intention was to find the cat and get back at him for the scars and claw marks. He continued to curse the black cat over the sharp chew marks encircling his precious.

Every so often, Gollum would return to his cave. It was here that he safe-guarded his precious from thieves and intruders. As time dragged on, he became so bored with searching for Pyre that he gave up. His latest search was to catch fresh fish, from inside his underwater cave.

*.*.*

Two hundred years passed in Middle-earth. When Gollum returned to his rock island, with a live fish in one hand, he discovered the ring wasn’t in its usual hiding place. Gollum darted this way and that, searching every crevice. And yet, he still had no idea where his precious would reappear.

He turned a corner and found Pyre the black cat, still alive and more vicious than ever. The cat gnawed at the ring with his teeth, his gaze suspicious and longing. Gollum tugged at the ring with his bony fingers, except the cat clutched the shiny object with his teeth. The tug-of-war game between Gollum and the cat proceeded for another three minutes. By great force, Gollum managed to capture the ring and toss the cat into a narrow hole in the wall.

The cat struggled to free himself from the narrow hole, growing more aggressive by the second. As Gollum caressed the ring with his index finger, the black cat wriggled free of the hole in the wall, advancing towards the creature with a pained meow. Gollum nearly pitied the black cat, but let temptation brought him back to the shiny gold ring in his hand.

Growling intensely, Mortar sprang up and swiped a clawed paw at Gollum’s cheek. Blood strewn out in long, wet drips. The gangly creature winced out in pain. He pursued the black cat, which managed to steal his ring from his hand again.

On his hands and knees, Gollum bounded towards the black beast. He dived towards the cat, nearly catching him in the act. The cat was quicker, fleeing up a cliff and over a wide ledge before he could catch him. Gollum had enough of this game. _It’s time we be polite, precious,_ he thought to himself. It wasn’t because he wanted to be decent – two hundred years changed him. He was far too interested in getting his precious back from the cat’s jaws of life.

The cat planted himself on top of the ledge, not taking his eyes off of the gangly creature.

At that, Gollum asked the cat, "Gollum doesn't want to hurt Pyre the cat. No precious, he doesn't. Gollum only wants Pyre to come down. Won't Pyre come down for the precious?"

The cat shook his head, as if mocking Gollum’s plea. Minding his own business, Mortar bit down on the ring, scratching and chewing at it with his teeth. This frightened Gollum, who pressed on a bit further this time:

"Don't hurt the precious! Gollum only wants to see the precious safe. Won't you climb down and give us the precious?"

"Meow, awl!" the cat stated loudly, as if pretending he couldn't climb down from the ledge. Gollum spoke again in a kinder voice, hoping his statements were heard.

"Gollum will help Pyre get down! Oh yes, we will my precious."

"Meow?" asked the cat, cocking his head in one direction.

Gollum proceeded up the rocky cliff like a spider. He clawed his way past scores of rocks, in an effort to reach the ledge. Without warning, the black cat leapt off from the ledge. Gollum jumped onto the rock slab, hoping to grab his precious. Despite the black cat's first refusal towards the gangly creature, he was also furious that Gollum would relieve him of his scratch toy. The cat climbed up to a higher ledge, disappearing through a tunnel. He was far ahead of the gangly creature now.

Gollum pranced around happily as he reached the ground. A revelation struck the creature as he returned to his cave. The cat, like himself, knew his birthday present belonged to him. Gollum decided to keep the ring hidden somewhere safer on the rock island, in a more secret place away from unseen eyes. He wouldn’t let Pyre try again, and yet they were equal in their constant struggle to save the Precious. Gollum admitted to himself that he was growing fond of the cat, no matter how many fights they had. The Precious was theirs for the taking.

*.*.*

Mortar the black cat had adjusted to Gollum's name for him: Pyre. That did not stop him from seeing the sunlight. He knew then this would be a literal, blinding experience.

And for the first time, in a long time, his feet touched the green earth. It felt so good to his cold, pawed feet. Mortar knew only one thing: he had to let the gangly creature take his scratch toy. He would regret this small favor. And yet, he thought of new ways to get Gollum back for everything he had done, everything that had happened to them, which included the day when he first set eyes on the ring.

Off the dirt road, Mortar ate morsels of silver fish and drank the cool, clear water from a nearby stream. So how would he take revenge on Gollum? The answer was simple: head to the place the Orcs and Goblins mentioned. Angmar. The journey alone would take a year-and-a-half to reach his destination. He was a cat after all. And yet, the ring told him to head for Angmar. Gathering what little courage he had left in him, Mortar the black cat advanced into the woodlands, leaving the Misty Mountains behind.


	5. Hidden Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Gollum and the cat/OC are apart in this chapter, the tone is serious instead of humorous.

Mortar reached the nearest Elven city in a fortnight.

Managing to sneak past the Elven soldiers and guards – and finding his latest stealth ability – the black cat found a small stream, filled with very clean water. Resting his forelegs on the green grass, Mortar lapped the freshwater to his mouth. Seeking out some place to sit and think for a while, he sniffed the air for fish. His nose led him straight to a flowing waterfall, complete with a bright rainbow. Fish jumped up and down in the river. In one swipe, Mortar caught two silver fish, before charging under a bush to eat his new meal. The fish tasted succulent to his lips. However, he was startled by another voice.

It was an Elf… sorry, he meant an Elf-lord.

"I come not to harm you, cat, but instead seek you out to help perform a small task. Surely a cat of your magnificence will kindly provide the services I need," the Elf-lord announced, keeping his eyes fixed on the cat.

Mortar was hesitant. His mind increasingly felt the need to have his scratch toy. Despite his wishes, the black cat approached the Elf-lord, knowing in his mind that significant pain was on its way. To his surprise, the Elf-lord did not leave or harm him. Instead, he told the cat, in a kindly voice,

"I would appreciate, while you are journeying, to not meet any enemies or the crebain. When you return here to Rivendell, find the Elven princess, my daughter. Then you shall know and realize Middle-earth is where you indeed belong. I am Elrond Half-elven and I expect you to treat me the same as you would your fellow breeds." With that, Elrond returned to the Elven city.

Mortar knew he could not stay with the Elves. He was in Rivendell for too long. He waited until Lord Elrond had crossed the bridge, before the cat darted off in another direction. He was heading to Angmar either way.

*.*.*

A year passed when Mortar reached the lost realm of Arnor from the east. The Misty Mountains loomed overhead, as if they kept a close watch on his every move. He almost felt right at home with this mountainous landscape. Then again, he knew Gollum was lurking around in his cave, protecting the cat's scratch toy whenever it pleased him.

As Mortar reached the borders of Angmar, the weather pattern changed rapidly: from cool winds to a cold frost. The black cat knew he reached his destination, when he first saw the stone, iron-spiked ruins of a threatening fortress. Dead skeletons littered in piles across the landscape. There were skeletons here and there that belonged to Trolls and Orcs, while others were skeletons of Wild Men. The cat knew he was in a massive graveyard, and yet, as he moved slowly across the land, he mourned over the horse skeletons.

Mortar snapped his head up. A black bird flew overhead, crowing aloud to anyone who heard his voice. A pale, golden-brown light beamed through a cloud bank. Before the black cat had time to react, something fell from the sky. Mortar dodged the object before it crashed on top of a Troll's skeleton, scattered skull pieces in different directions.

Licking himself off, Mortar approached the Troll skeletal rib cage. The item was, in fact, a small wooden crate filled with chicken eggs. Mortar recognized who the eggs belonged to: his old masters. He swallowed the eggs whole, not thinking for a second his masters had given up on him. In a way, he was glad. This felt like a real meal. And yet, his thoughts dwelt now on how he arrived on Middle-earth’s soil.

He remembered now. His first master flung the book under the bed. He had dived for it, only to slide and fall through the book. He couldn’t explain the dust that came with his untimely arrival. But now, he knew how he came to Middle-earth. The tricky part was getting back to his world. He was uncertain about how he would accept the name Mr. Cuddle-Muffin… again.

He ate a few more eggs, moments before the black bird dived from the cloud back. Mortar moved fast, for the bird swooped down and pecked him. Enraged, the cat swiped at it with his sharp clawed paw. That startled the bird, but only made the situation worse. In the end, Mortar fled from the region of Angmar. His eyes swam with fear and shock. He didn’t want to get attacked by the black bird again.

Grateful that the cat was leaving Angmar, the black bird sighed. Hopefully, the cat wouldn’t return to Angmar, but if he did, the bird would be prepared for another attack.

*.*.*

Back on the road, Mortar looked at his reflection in a nearby pool of water. He was haggard looking this time, especially the gash wound on the top of his head. Would he ever heal? Or would his scratch toy take full control over his life? He was prepared now to face Gollum. However, he knew he needed something more. That way, he would gain full advantage over the gangly creature.

On his way towards the Ettenmoors, Mortar stopped for a quick drink of water. It was refreshing and satisfying. His gaze turned towards the sky. What? A lidless, fiery eye stared at him. The black cat was taken aback. He couldn’t look away now… the Eye of Sauron was far too pleasant for him to resist. He collapsed on the ground, remembering nothing afterwards.


	6. The Beach Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify, the black cat calls himself Mortar, but Gollum calls him Pyre. While Gollum is beginning this one-shot, a flashback will reveal the cat’s side of the story and how he returned to Gollum’s cave.

Gollum had not seen Pyre for two-and-a-half years. He almost believed he was free of the black cat, but a part of him said to be mindful. On top of that, the ring’s hold over Gollum grew stronger. His eyes became partially blinded from the lack of sunlight. His body was skinner, after two hundred years of consuming fish. How he longed for the taste of bread, meat, cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables.

To Gollum, fish was the only real food he craved. It was enough to satisfy his ever shrinking stomach. He lost much of his hair, leaving his scalp with a few stringy hairs. They were what still clung to his head.

While he celebrated over losing the black cat, Gollum listened as rocks thudded and shifted along the walls. The stones tumbled towards the floor in great heaps. Suspicious, Gollum hid his precious inside a more secretive place on the rock island. As he made his descent to the boat, the rocks shifted loudly a second time, until a deep _thud_ pounded the cavern floor. Safely in his wooden boat, Gollum rowed towards the dark shoreline.

Docking the boat, Gollum crawled onto the beach. He stopped as another sound, a lighter sound, skidded towards the water. He whirled around to his boat, but found no one inside. As if he wasn’t already suspicious. Returning to the boat, he rowed at a faster pace back to the island. Gollum spoke to himself in low, hissed murmurs. Arriving on the rock island, Gollum moved across the sleek stone. He stopped, right as a loud _splash_ sounded from behind him.

Not taking any chances, Gollum grabbed the boat, before it floated away. His eyes caught something furry and black popping its head up from the lake. Furious, he leapt onto the boat, rowing aggressively to shore. He hoped to catch the black cat off-guard, before he swam to shore.

*.*.*

TWO HOURS EARLIER…

Mortar snuck away from Rivendell in haste. With help from the Eye of Sauron, he reached the Misty Mountains in an hour. Retracing his steps, Mortar found the small opening somewhere near the bottom of the mountainside. As he peered at the large hole, he froze at the sound of black birds. He gazed at the clear blue sky in concern. He already had a beating from the last large black bird. He didn’t want to be whacked again by another bird. Using quick thinking, he ran inside the opening, dodging stalactites and stalagmites as he wandered through the tunnels.

In several passing minutes, Mortar at last ran out of the small tunnel. He was back in the large, dimly-lit cave. Now he knew where he was. In Gollum’s cave, of course. As he walked across the wet floor, the black cat met Gollum’s gaze. Unlike Gollum, Mortar could see him clearly in the darkness and was not afraid of him. Before the gangly creature reached shore, Mortar skidded across the beach to a boulder, hiding in near plain sight.

What Mortar forgot was that Gollum’s senses also increased, which made sense with Gollum now in possession of the ring. The cat peered out from the boulder. The creature crawled towards him, sniffing the air like a cat… wait a second. Seizing his chance, Mortar rushed across the shore, diving into the boat with a deep _thud_. He barely made it under the wooden seat when the creature returned. He didn’t look up at Gollum, but the temptation to attack him drew closer to his ears, as if another menacing voice was guiding him to the truth. As they neared the rock island, Mortar heard a new sound: a deep, soothing whisper. His heart stopped when the boat docked.

They had reached Gollum’s island.

While the gangly creature was busy, Mortar softly slunk off the boat. He looked once at Gollum. He would have to face him at some point, not slink around for the rest of his life. But being sneaky was important. He had to find the ring, sink his teeth into his scratch toy. But how was he to get the ring? Seeing no other options, the black cat inhaled, leaping out of the boat and into the water with a loud _splash_.

Water crashed all around him, making it harder for him to swim. But he had to try. He was a cat. Didn’t cats appreciate water?

As he opened his eyes, Mortar’s lungs burned inside his chest. He wanted fresh air… wait. He could do this. But it was so dark and blue. Yes, he could swim, but the water chilled him. Gathering his courage and his two feet, he paddled his way up to the surface. He gasped loudly for fresh air. He was rewarded with welcoming air. He managed to move out of the way, before Gollum’s boat found him.

Wait a second. The boat. The ring. And that gangly creature, Gollum.

Daring to move faster, Mortar sped off across the water’s surface. He snickered evilly to himself, managing to find the shoreline around the same time as Gollum. He reached the same boulder he had snuck over to before. Only this time, as Gollum searched the beach, Mortar let out a powerful meow. That stopped the creature, who cocked his head, alerted to the black cat’s presence.

All at once, Gollum and Mortar met their sneaky stares. Each wanted the Ring for himself. But how was Mortar to get the ring from him? Hissing viciously at the gangly creature, he moved out the way, but not fast enough for Gollum caught him in midair. Angered, Mortar scratched the creature, followed up with digging his claws into Gollum’s arms. Wincing in pain, Gollum threw the black cat to the ground. Before the gangly creature crawled back to the boat, Mortar ran up to him, biting the creature in the ankle. Yelping in pain, Gollum retaliated, yanking the black cat off his ankle.

Mortar glared back at Gollum, barring his teeth and hissing at him. Only this time, Gollum threw him across the lake. The cat smacked the water, not resurfacing for a couple of minutes.

Unsure if Pyre was alive, Gollum rowed back to the island. Climbing up its rocks, he hummed triumphantly to himself. This time, he hoped he wouldn’t see the cat again. As a precaution, Gollum hid the ring in another secretive place, keeping guard of his precious. The cat was gone, but had he survived? He had to stop taking pity on the cat. Pyre was ruining the time he spent with his precious.


	7. Underwater Cave

The black cat thought he was dead. The water hit him so hard on the chest that he almost stopped breathing. Opening his eyes, Mortar stared at the lake bed’s darkened blue-green colors. As he stared at the surface above, he asked himself, _is this the last time I will ever see the bright, blue sky?_ If only he could find a way to come back…

 _Wait a second! That grubby, gangly creature took off with my scratch toy. Oh, I'm going to give him one wallop, so good, he won't know what hit him,_ thought the cat, as his eyes turned bloodshot.

As if the ring called him, Mortar dived closer to the surface. While Gollum was caressing his precious, the cat splashed ferociously out of the water. The creature whirled around with a shocked expression: he had not planned on the black cat surviving. Gollum backed off, cowering before the cat.

"Precious did not expect cat to return. Precious thinks cat should leave, or else Precious will…"

Mortar was beyond fed up with the gangly creature. Desperate for his scratch toy, his hissed viciously at Gollum, while making his ascent on the rock island.

"Why does cat think he will beat Precious? Precious does not want to hurt cat. No precious, we don't. We will ask cat one last time to find your own Precious!" Gollum exclaimed.

 _Mortar will never leave Precious alone with you, Gollum,_ the black cat thought, pouncing on top of him.

Before another fight broke out, the two stopped. Their gazes fell on the silvery fish, leaping out of the water in full glory. The two stared desperately at the fish. Before Mortar had the chance to catch more fish, Gollum slammed him into a slab of rock. The blow was hard, and yet the cat wasn’t damaged. Shaking himself off, Mortar searched for Gollum first. Only the gangly creature was too distracted by fish to notice everything else occurring in the cave.

Seizing the moment, Mortar returned to his search for the ring. He nearly gave up, until his foot moved a loose slab of rock. The rock splashed lightly on the water. Peering into the opening, Mortar’s gaze caught a glint of gold. It was his scratch toy! He looked up at Gollum. Like before, Gollum was too preoccupied over catching fish. The cat returned his gaze to the ring. Prying it out of the hole with his foot, Mortar reached down, clasping the ring with his front teeth.

The cat nearly bounded back into the water when two bony fingers grabbed his tail. He whirled around sharply, meeting Gollum’s gaze. Instead of the polite gaze, Mortar was met with angry eyes. It was clear that Gollum was not happy, but neither was Mortar.

"How come precious is always found by you, Pyre? Precious has tried everything to be kept secret. Yes, precious has, my love," Gollum protested viciously. He paused. " _Gollum, gollum!_ We do not like the way Pyre messes with the precious."

 _Then Gollum should not have messed with Mortar the cat,_ thought Mortar, unable to remember what provoked Gollum to fight him, ever since they met on the Gladden Fields.

"Why does Pyre torment the precious? We only want Pyre to be kept safely away from Precious. Precious is our birthday present," said Gollum, extending a hand to the cat. "We will do anything to get the precious back. We need the precious. Cat doesn't need precious. He has stayed alive all on his own."

 _Not without the help of the scratch toy and the Eye,_ the cat thought, adding to Gollum's statements.

"Give us the precious and we will leave Pyre alone,” He demanded, calmly. There was no response. Gollum repeated, fixated on the ring inside the cat's mouth. "Give it to us!"

The cat shook his head, glaring suspiciously at him.

Gollum had enough of the cat's games. "If Pyre will not give us the Precious, then we shall fight Pyre to the last battle. Then we will see who has the precious. Yes, precious, we will do that to Pyre."

 _Fine. Then Mortar the cat will wish he never crossed paths with Gollum again,_ the cat thought, snarling behind his teeth.

Gollum stretched forth his hands. He was a moment too soon, for Mortar jumped off the rock island, swimming to the deeper corners of the lake. Gollum was beyond furious with the cat. He needed his birthday precious. His precious belonged to him. He had every right to keep it. The cat didn’t have any part of play when Déagol found the ring.

Déagol. In spite of wanting to forget the name, the memory of his fight with his friend tore Gollum in two. One half wanted to make up for what he did. The other half knew the damage was already done. Riddled with questions, Gollum ignored them, diving into the lake without any regrets.

Gollum found the black cat hiding in an underwater cave. Before the cat retaliated, Gollum swiped a hand towards the cat’s mouth. He had the ring at last, but also met the gaze of an angry cat. Just as he reached the surface, climbing back up onto his rock, the cat had beaten him to the top of the rock’s ledge. Gollum did return to the island, but kept his precious safe at all costs.

*.*.*

In the days that followed, the cat tormented Gollum with his angry glares. As time wore on, Gollum found himself fearful of the cat, especially his bloodshot eyes. The cat, in the meantime, became more intelligent. His senses increased by a great amount, allowing him to see the cave, the fish, the lake and the shoreline. Gollum, on the other hand, further mutated, due to the ring’s power. And yet, the ring did bring forth to Gollum an increased sight. He could see the cat clearer, as well as hear the cat’s faint murmurs in the darkness.

Despite their differences, Gollum and the black cat had a similar reaction to the Elves. Mortar bided his time, staying away from Rivendell as often as he could, especially from the Elves and their lord… Elrond was his name and his daughter, but he failed to catch her name. Instead, Mortar chose his time to pester Gollum. The pestering happened at the most random times. It didn’t stop their constant fights, which sometimes occurred for hours on end. It was a struggle and an effort to outdo the other in combat.

They were unaware that three hundred years passed throughout Middle-earth. As for the Ring, it chose this time to call its master, the Dark Lord Sauron.


	8. Ring-finder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s where _The Hobbit_ , another work that belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien, crosses with _The Lord of the Rings_.

The One Ring could hear its master calling. The Ring maker had returned to Middle-earth and with him, his power grew stronger. Although the Ring had a gold band complete with elvish script, hidden except when thrown in fire, it was capable to corrupting those who held it, turning the wearer invisible to mortal eyes, as well as giving the wearer access to the Shadow World.

The ring selected Mortar for a reason: to keep his teeth sharpened as well as grant him immortality. But the Ring knew the cat’s purpose. He longed to travel to Mordor, and that was exactly where the Ring wanted to go. To ensnare the cat to its wicked desires, the Ring sought to help it succeed in that quest. It wanted to be reunited with its master. And when that moment arrived, the Ring and Sauron would have no further use for the black cat, whose name meant ‘fiery sword or weapon’.

The Ring shared no love for Gollum. Instead, the Ring chose to corrupt him beyond measure. Only then, when he reached that point, he would be a husk, fading into the Shadow World with no way to return to the mortal realm. The Ring desired to do the same to the black cat, as well as flee from Mortar and Gollum, before either found further ways of using its malice for their own reasons.

*.*.*

The Ring waited one evening to abandon Gollum and Mortar. The Ring was clever, biding its time to sneak away from the two at the right moment. Five hundred years had passed since the Ring fell into Gollum and Mortar’s possession. Now it was time to find its original master. If Mortar wasn’t doing anything, it would find its own way out.

The Ring clanged against the stony ground. Yes, it would find a way out. It would. However, it didn’t expect to pass into the hands of a certain hobbit, whose name was Bilbo Baggins.

*.*.*

Gollum and Mortar, without realizing where they were heading, picked up the scent of a different creature. No, this creature was young and restless, but there was something about him that felt off. The black cat finally reached the scent of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit with curly brown hair and a keen mind.

Upon meeting Bilbo, who was from the Shire, Mortar leapt onto the top of the tallest rock, eavesdropping in on his conversation with Gollum. Conversation turned into riddles, upon which Mortar snickered. Surely this hobbit realized what danger he was in. Given his smell, Mortar assumed he had been traveling. By his sneeze, the black cat hissed at the thought that this traveling wanderer had been with Elves. That was the last thing Mortar wanted to sniff out from a stranger.

But still, there was something very off about Bilbo Baggins… if only the black cat knew what he was smelling.

After many riddles passed between Gollum and Bilbo, Mortar heard the hobbit ask the gangly creature a question. At first, the cat thought Gollum would win this battle. But the question remained. While Bilbo did win the battle… wait a second. Mortar was confused.

 _What does he have in his pocket?_ The black cat thought hard over this question.

Seizing the moment, Mortar darted after Gollum through the cave’s tunnel network. Speeding off at lightning speed, Mortar recalled the One Ring. That Bilbo. He stole his and Gollum’s ring… wait. No, it was his scratch toy. Oh, Bilbo would pay for what he’d done. He was unfortunate in catching up to Bilbo, for he slipped out of the last tunnel, heading out of the Misty Mountains and into the Mirkwood Forest.

Mortar couldn’t believe this. He and Gollum lost Bilbo Baggins, of all hobbits.

*.*.*

When Gollum finally slunk after Mortar, Bilbo had already fled through the door and door-post. Gollum could not afford to lose his precious. But that’s what happened. And now Gollum was left to tend to cat who may or may not betray him. Mortar, on the other hand, used his sniffer to pick up on the smells. Could he smell Bilbo Baggins, the thief in the dark? Was there hope he would succeed in finding his scratch toy?

"What does he smell, Pyre?” Gollum asked the cat a moment later. “Does he smell the precious? Is the precious away with the thief called Baggins?"

 _If Gollum will give Pyre – Mortar the cat a second, then Mortar will smell scratch toy out_ , thought the black cat, as he gave Gollum a warning glare.

Gollum fell silent. The cat was sniffing for an exit, but now it was clear in the creature’s mind that the cat had no intentions of trusting him or his precious. And that point was made clear when Mortar darted out of the door-post, abandoning Gollum inside the cave. He screamed and cried in terror. Fine. If the black cat didn’t want to help him, then he would find the ring on his own.

Braving the choice of stepping out into the sunlight and the fresh air, Gollum planted his hands and feet onto the soil. It certainly felt warm to the touch, but the sun made him squirm. He wasn’t used to the sunlight. And yet, Pyre had betrayed him. That was his first thought. His second thought remained: to find the thief that stole his Precious. He would get his Precious back, even if it meant betraying Pyre in return.


	9. The Long Trek

In the three years that followed, Mortar kept to himself. Gollum didn’t trust him and with the absence of the One Ring, the black cat knew it was time to leave the Misty Mountains. Unknown to him was the fact that Gollum had also left the Misty Mountains. What made things worse for Mortar was that he was regaining his original cat senses.

Fortunate for the black cat, he was slowly regaining a bit of his cat senses. And yet, the One Ring – his scratch toy – had a stronger pull on him. Around evening, at the time Gollum fled the Misty Mountains, Mortar made his way outside the caves as well, through his own secret passage.

*.*.*

Mortar moved during the moonlight on foot. He had to find the One Ring, before the Wood-elves took it for their own purpose. A deep-set voice called him towards the south. Should he trust it? He apparently did, following the voice into Mirkwood Forest. Blindly, he traveled through the wooded area. Each step he made through the woodlands meant that danger lurked by. One such occasion involved him meeting a group of great spiders. He stopped them before they attacked.

Could he speak to the spiders? He could certainly try.

 _It is dangerous in these paths_ , he thought, being clever about this arrangement. _Go back to your masters. Tell them Mortar wishes to speak to the Great Eye of Sauron._

 _Right away, right away_ , thought the spiders back. Mortar watched them as they fled through the forest. He was on his on again.

The black cat continued his crossing. The dark forest soon changed to ruins. He was here. He at last made it to Dol Guldur. Ascending up the stairs and bridge, Mortar felt eyes watching him. Sinister eyes that wouldn’t abate. He stopped in the middle of a platform, where three black robed figures towered over him. Mortar trembled, his ears falling back behind his eyes in fright. These were creatures he needed to be mindful.

A Nazgûl approached the cat. His words hissing in his mouth. “Are you Mortar? The cat that rides the darkness of night without fear?”

 _Now I am afraid… but not of you, kind rider_ , Mortar thought, hoping the Nazgûl understood him. To the black cat’s surprise, the Nazgul welcomed him with open arms. He spoke to the cat further,

"You are broken by fierce will and cowardice. And yet, you do not frighten the Dark Lord from the Land of Shadow. Therefore, I recommend you go speak with the Dark Lord now, concerning his Ring. This will be your debt. Its price you will have to pay, should you find his Ring. You will then hand over the Ring to him, or else suffer the wrath of the Witch-king and his Morgul Blade. Now go and do not return to Dol Guldur without the Ring."

In silent fashion, Mortar fled Dol Guldur. He hoped not to disappoint the Nazgul. His life depended upon finding that ring. However, it took him the next several years to track down Gollum. But where had the ring gone? That was a question he needed to answer. Maybe Gollum knew where his scratch toy was located? He hoped this would come to light. His teeth needed to be sharpened again, and he couldn’t do that without his precious. Did he say that out loud?

He grinned. Yes, Gollum would help him find it, wouldn’t he? But another question arose: where were the silver fish? He didn’t know, but maybe Gollum did.

*.*.*

By the year 2980, Mortar finally managed to track Gollum at Minas Morgul. Biding his time, Mortar zoomed up the straight and winding stairs. To the cat’s surprise, Gollum was afraid of him. He thought the gangly creature would be furious with him. But no, there was pity and a shy behavior that nearly made Mortar pity him. But no, he needed to focus on the task at hand. Dodging a few rocks, the black cat finally reached the ledge, hissing viciously at the creature.

Just before Gollum could make the descent, Mortar blocked his path. Oh no. He wasn’t letting the gangly creature get away from him, even as Gollum made it to the entrance of a dark tunnel.

"Why does Pyre chase Gollum? Gollum only wants precious to be safe," Gollum said, pleading.

 _Gollum would know better, if Gollum wasn't always wondering what would happen if poor Mortar ran away on him once again. We both know what we want and we both know how this will end_ , the black cat thought. Gollum’s behavior shifted from timid to terrified.

"Pyre can hear Gollum's thoughts!" asked Gollum, now terribly frightened of the black cat.

 _I'm surprised you can hear mine, Gollum. Didn't you realize my actual name, the name I was given at birth, was Mortar?_ He paused, snickering wickedly. _Mortar didn't think Gollum would catch on._

"Why then does Pyre – Mortar wants the precious? Why does Pyre – Mortar chase Gollum all the way to these stairs, and now to this tunnel?" Gollum asked, bravely.

The black cat sneered at him. _Does Gollum want to know what would happen to him and Mortar? Mortar and Gollum should realize where we are heading into, as well as the stakes that raised before us. I need the precious scratch toy as much as Gollum. I will do anything to get my paws on it. Of course, I'm the only one who has interacted with the precious' original master. Now come on, Gollum, before an Orc catches us_ , the black cat thought, leading Gollum through a long, cobwebbed tunnel.

*.*.*

For a long time, as he and Gollum traversed through the winding dark tunnel, Mortar nearly believed they were heading in the wrong direction. He nearly thought this true. But from losing the One Ring, Mortar and Gollum could easily telecommunicate between each other. How this succeeded before – or must have at the time they had the ring – neither one knew. Telecommunicating seemed the best option for them, now inside the tunnels.

But who they didn’t expect to meet was a giant spider, known as Shelob. From her grand appearance and her long eight legs, Mortar nearly thought for a moment that he and Gollum were done for. But then, Gollum’s part in the deal shocked him. He hadn’t expected to add the One Ring to the deal. He backed away as Shelob moved forward… wait. He could telecommunicate with her, of course.

 _Shelob the Great Wonder,_ the black cat thought, _I would be obliged to help you as well. You see, Gollum and I were looking for a precious ring._

 _Precious ring? What could be tastier?_ Shelob thought, trudging towards him. Mortar cowered before her, in an effort to keep tabs with her and to ease his mind.

 _Now, Shelob – oh Great Mistress – Gollum and I need your help. We’ll offer you food and you let us have what belongs to us. Do we have a deal?_ Mortar asked, curious.

 _Yes. Now bring me food, both of you. You shall have your ring,_ Shelob said, moving away from the cat and Gollum.

“We thank you, Mortar,” Gollum said, polite.

 _Don’t thank me yet, Gollum,_ Mortar huffed. He answered again by thought, in a dark tone, _Let’s find that Ring, before we lose it again._

“Yes precious. Ah! Shelob,” Gollum said, rushing off. Mortar stopped in surprise. Gollum wasn’t supposed to betray him. Was he? Great. Just… not the cat’s day.


	10. The Accomplice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After proofreading this one-shot chapter, as well as writing a revision draft, this chapter is one of the shorter chapters in this one-shot series. Also, there is a new cat/OC in this story, which will affect the parody or main story at a certain point.

Shortly after their meeting with Shelob, Mortar took off through the tunnels. He about had enough of Gollum. Now he was saving his ass from a spider? Mortar was done playing Gollum’s team leader. Now, he needed another mission to do, something to take his mind off the ring… what was he saying? He needed that ring, didn’t he?

As he scanned the distant landscape, glad to be away from the gangly creature for a time, Mortar returned to Angmar. Here was where the Nazgul’s leader, the Witch-king once resided. Impressed by his tracking senses, he picked up on a yellow-eyed black cat. In haste, he prodded the cat’s thoughts with his mind. At last, he had a hold on the cat.

 _What is your name, cat?_ Mortar thought, telecommuting with the cat.

 _My birth name is Ester, but most untamable crows and crebain call me Gizzard. The reason for this is when I search for food, I go after the crows and crebains' eggs and their young_ , answered the black cat, much to Mortar the cat's surprise.

As he sat down in front of the nearest exit tunnels, Mortar chuckled softly inside his thoughts. However, there was a part that told Mortar to be suspicious of Gizzard, yet Mortar couldn't sense any danger from this black cat. _Gizzard is it? Then we'll see if there is a small task that'll suit you. If you are ready, then we will get started right away._

 _Of course I'm ready… ready for what?_ Gizzard thought, not understanding the other cat's meaning. _How did you get inside my mind?_

 _Let's say a nameless power gave me the skills needed to scan through cat's and people's minds_ , thought Mortar in a conniving tone.

 _All right, then what would you have me do?_ Gizzard asked, relaying the thought back to him.

_I need you to keep watch of the ruined fortress behind you. If you find anything out of the ordinary, you tell me first. I'll keep my thoughts connected with yours, so that way it's easier for both of us to..._

_Right, and what if you're caught in that tunnel behind you? I've heard those tunnels are infested by Shelob, the giant spider from Mordor_ , thought Gizzard at once.

Mortar paused. _Then I'll see if I can escape, and thank you for helping me Gizzard. I'm sure you will be rewarded in due time._

 _What is your name, cat?_ Gizzard thought back, throwing the first question right at Mortar.

Mortar let a heavy silence fall between him and Gizzard, inside their minds. _My name is Mortar and if you think any differently about the name, then you'll be sorry._

 _I think I already am_ , thought Gizzard in admittance.

*.*.*

With Gizzard’s mind connected to his own, Mortar was able to slip past Shelob and Gollum. Leaving the exit tunnel, Mortar stumbled his way towards the Tower of Cirith Ungol. With his stealth to guide him, Mortar rushed past Orcs. It was upon this last passing that he arrived in the land of Mordor.

Mortar had only entered the land for a few good feet when images flashed before his eyes. Some were flashes of light. Others were… no. They were on Ester. But who was this Ester… oh no. Ester was Gizzard, and they were brothers. How was that possible? Surely it was a mere coincidence. Oh, but he bet Gizzard had a story or two to tell.

The images stopped. Mortar was standing on the edge of the cliff. No. He needed to break this connection… fast… before something happened. However, he thought too soon, for he fell over the edge of the cliff, remembering nothing afterwards.


	11. Past Memories

Flashes of old memories swarmed in Mortar’s head. He didn’t want to relive those memories, and yet they were there, waiting for him to see them again. They were so vivid, so true. Why, oh why, did he have to have a brother named Ester? What did the world come to these days?

*.*.*

_He wailed upon entering the world, rather a tall barn with red siding. He was born seconds before his younger brother, who looked like a little chick. They were both black cats, while his mother was a gold tabby cat, with white spots of varying sizes. His mother named him Mortar, because of his powerful meow. His brother was given the name Ester, because she was reminded of a crystal she had seen years ago. Mortar knew in his heart that he was jealous of Ester, right from the moment they were born._

*.*.*

_A few months passed on the farm. For Mortar and Ester, there was no telling them apart physically. They both had sleek black fur and yellow eyes. Their father was also a black cat, but he had white spots. It was their mother, Mortar remembered, who thought they were inseparable. That did not cleanse Mortar of his jealousy. If anything, it increased. His brother Ester was truly a hero. But where did Mortar stand through all of this nonsense?_

*.*.*

_Outside the bar, Mortar decided to play a dangerous game with his brother. Trotting along through the green grass, he led his younger brother to a pond, where green lily pads bloomed. Mortar’s game was in seeing if Ester could swim to the lily pads and back. In his knowledge, barn and house cats couldn’t swim. It made his plan work so much better._

_Abandoning Ester to the lily pad, Mortar returned to the barn. Acting innocent, Mortar told his parents where Ester was. His father rushed to the pond to rescue his younger brother. In spite of Ester being saved, he told their parents, rather accused him, that it was Mortar who led him to the pond._

_Returning to the barn, Mortar did his best to avoid his father, who kept batting at him. When his punishment was over, after being forced to the hay floor by his father, he witnessed his parents tending to Ester, checking to see if he was fine. But he, Mortar, wasn’t fine. Why were his parents still treating his younger brother with love and respect? Yes, he understood, but… no. This was all too much for him to bear._

_A while later, Mortar and Ester learned that their father went missing. But where he went remained to be seen. Would Mortar learn the truth about his parents? And what of Ester?_

*.*.*

_Mortar and Ester’s father returned a year later. Where he had gone, no one knew. And yet, it was as if their father was changing physically. Their mother was pregnant again, this time giving birth to twelve kittens. The litter that Mortar and Ester were born in had nine kittens, including themselves. But it was a few months later that the two cat brothers were sold by their farm owner to two separate owners, whose daughters turned out to be best friends in middle school._

_In spite of his jealousy issues, Mortar cared for his brother Ester. They couldn’t be separated, could they? And yet, Ester told him, "Always remember, Mortar: never give in to treasures or fall into traps you cannot climb out of on your own. Not everyone will be your best friend." Those were his last words, before they were separated._

_As for Mortar, he ended up being bought by his new owners. Among them was the owners’ daughter, Erita Rashkin._

*.*.*

_Six months later, Mortar was given a new nickname. Well he called it a nickname… or rather he shouldn’t, for that name was Mr. Cuddle-Muffin. The reason for this name meant that he was cuddly. He snarled at this nickname. It didn’t sound like it was in his character to be a snuggly stuffed bear… mmm. Good chew toy for him._

_Well, at his new owners’ house, he wasn’t pushed around. It was a nice home, but why couldn’t he wander outside, in the fresh air? Be free and himself again, where he could torture his younger brother Ester all day long. He needed to escape this “pet” life._

_And he found it, that day when he fell through the book. It was the same day his owner’s daughter was heading off to college… wherever that rested._

*.*.*

Mortar awoke with a splitting headache. The memories were so vivid that, for a moment, he forgot where he was now. He was in Mordor, in the barren land with little vegetation and lots of Orcs. But now, thanks to these memories, it made him wonder where his parents were, what they were like. He nearly forgot about them.

His legs shook as he stood up. The dirt was red, black and volcanic. At least one thing was set right: he was alive and that was good. But where were the Orcs? Where was that lidless eye? As he looked around, he jerked back away. There were Orcs coming right towards him, black boots and everything. Not saying two words, and hardly hearing the Orcs, Mortar followed them straight to the spiky ironed tower ahead of them.

He was being taken to the Dark Lord. And yet, he couldn’t complain. His ears rang intensely as they walked. He looked up at the tower. There stood a lidless, fiery eye on top. Oh, but what was he to say to the Dark Lord. He hardly knew, and yes, they climbed up the stairs inside the tower, Mortar listened to Gollum’s wails, which cried “Shire!” and “Baggins!”


	12. Dark Tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second shorter chapter in this series of one-shots, but it is also an important chapter as to what will happen between Mortar and Gollum, as well as where they are headed.

Barad-dûr. The dark fortress and Sauron’s home. Mortar remembered the name of the tower a second after the Orc said it to his friends. The name brought terror into the cat’s heart, but what surprised him more was how the Orcs carried him up the stairs. As if he couldn’t do the chore himself.

Slowly, but surely, the black cat’s memories flourished. He remembered he was in Mordor, trying to evade Gollum’s trawl and Shelob. And now he was heading right up to Gollum. This was unbelievable. He wanted to find his brother again. And the Ring. Yes, it was so dear to him. As his mind returned to the present, he had arrived on one of the open spires.

*.*.*

The sky was pitch-black and covered in clouds. And yet, from this darkness, Mortar could still see where he was heading. He was relieved when the Orc loosened his grip on him. In all that time, the black cat hadn’t been so happy to see Gollum. But up until this moment did the cat find solace in respecting the creature.

Upon reaching Gollum, Mortar stood on an iron pedestal. The gangly creature sputtered awake, but also in delight, “Mortar! What became of you? We thought we lost you. Shelob agreed to our plan, but why did you flee?”

“Gollum.” Mortar stopped himself from talking further. He could speak with his mouth. How was that possible. And yet, he spoke a little further, “I…” His thoughts were interrupted by another figure: tall and with spiked armor. Mortar fell into himself, leaping down from the bed Gollum was imprisoned. He knew who the creature was that stood before him.

Menacing and cold. It was Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor. Mortar was in trouble now, and he knew it. But what did the Dark Lord want with him and Gollum?

“What do you want?” Mortar asked the Dark Lord.

“You are free, Gollum. Go.” Sauron continued. “I will speak with this cat alone.”

“We are free! Yes!” Gollum said, scampering away.

“What do you want with me?” Mortar asked, trembling.

“Look into this orb. Tell me what you see, for even the truth must be riddled out,” Sauron said, holding up a large black orb with a blue sky inside.

Doing as he was told, Mortar saw many things, including his brother Ester. And there were his parents. His father looked so changed. Would he see them again? Given Sauron’s vision, it was possible. But still, another vision revealed itself and where the One Ring was heading. How was he to get to the ring now, his scratch toy. Mortar looked up in fright and understanding at the tall Dark Lord.

He knew what he had to do now.

“Find me the Ring, and you will have all that you desire,” Sauron’s voice purred in his ears.

“Understood, Master,” Mortar said, nodding.

“Then go, and do not return until I have that ring,” Sauron added.

“Yes master,” was all Mortar could say. For when he reached the bottom of the tower, he saw Gollum bounding away. They were heading in the same direction. Good. Now to find Ester and the One Ring. Mortar knew his heart that his revenge needed to be satisfied. Where he went… well, that was up to him, wasn’t it? And yet, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

But the black cat knew of one destination he could surely travel to: the Shire, where he hoped his brother would find him and talk with him some more. Or so he hoped and guessed.


	13. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the conclusion of _Wandering Encounters_ , I would like to thank the readers for staying with this series of one-shot chapters. Credit also goes to SweetDarkSilence and ValueMyHeart, who really helped me bring about this anthology. This has been one wild ride, but the journey with Mortar and Gizzard, the black cats, and Gollum isn't over. This prelude has set up some of the events for _Reader's Retribution_ , Part I in _The Lord of the Rings_ Item-Insertion Parody.

The year was 3009, in the Third Age of Middle-earth. For six months, Gizzard hadn’t heard word of his eldest brother Mortar. On his travel to Angmar, Gizzard had hoped to find his brother’s tracks. He looked up at the sky, as a large crebain – the black birds Mortar had spotted on his travel to Angmar – soared down to the snow covered earth.

Gizzard watch the bird with curious, bloodshot eyes. Surely this bird would give him the answers he so desperately sought.

 _Do you know where my brother Mortar is?_ Gizzard thought, in hopes of an answer. The crebain spoke in a cackling voice,

"Mortar will soon be dead. No one escapes the black land alive. Give up on your brother. The Dark Lord will have captured him." The crebain flew off seconds later, back into the cloudy skies above.

Gizzard didn’t understand. Was his brother dead? _No_ , thought Gizzard, regaining some sanity.

He understood if Mortar was in a terrible fix. If only he knew where his brother was… anywhere except Mordor.

On swift feet, Gizzard traveled through Angmar. He reached the ruined fortress once more, only to hide from a massive winged beast. Astride the fell beast was a rider, cloaked all in black. Gizzard’s legs stiffed as the rider searched the area. He breathed a sigh of relief when the cloaked figure flew away. In that time, Gizzard investigated the skeletal graveyard ahead of him.

*.*.*

Two years passed in Angmar. There was still no sign of Mortar. Impending thoughts breached Gizzard’s mind: what if Mortar was a Ringwraith? What had Sauron done to him? Seeing no sign of his brother’s recent tracks, other than a black cat who was older in appearance and still retained a rugged stance, Gizzard left Angmar, heading back to the borders of the Shire.

*.*.*

In the year 3017, Gizzard met the black cat again in the village of Scary. The scent of fresh fish came from inside the quarry’s tunnels. His fears were set. Could the black cat be his brother Mortar? Gizzard wondered that question to himself, as he inched closer to the older black cat.

 _Who are you and why are you inside my quarry?_ The black cat thought, snarling at him.

Gizzard was petrified. _I was just tracking down the fresh fish, and then I saw you. So I thought…_

 _Yeah, I know what you thought. Why not give Mortar time to panic, so this young bloke can search for the fish he caught? I only eat fish nowadays. I can't eat mice or rabbits, like you "normal" house cats_ , admitted the black cat, ranting on in frustration.

Gizzard was shocked! Was this indeed his brother, long since lost but now returned from the dead? He needed to find out if this was true, and what had happened to Mortar. Nevertheless, he played along with Mortar’s rant.

 _Some of us were born this way… as immortals, Mortar. I have that gift, after I stared into our mother's crystal. You wouldn't know since you were, my guess is, corrupted by the One Ring – or what you like to call your scratch toy_ , Gizzard thought.

Mortar whirled around fast. He was furious. _How do you know who I am and what I am searching for, cat? Answer me!_

 _I am your brother Ester, or more commonly known nowadays as Gizzard. We're still brothers by birth. I only have these bloodshot eyes because of the connection you gave to me eight years ago… you don't know this?_ Gizzard thought, curious now to hear Mortar's story. _Tell me: how did you escape from Mordor and the Dark Lord Sauron?_

 _Don't say his name! Yes, I did escape from that dark tower called Barad-dûr. Sauron let me go, but it was his Witch-king who brought me to Angmar. I barely made it out of Mordor alive, yet Sauron has been good to me ever since I fought for control of the One Ring – my scratch toy – from that meddlesome, gangly creature called Gollum_ , thought Mortar with an enraged look on his face.

Mortar then gave Gizzard a quizzical, curious look. _Do you want to know something, brother? Wouldn't you love to come back with me to Mordor, with the One Ring? Wouldn't you love to use the One Ring against Sauron, and then we could rule this pathetic world together? No one would tell us what to do anymore. We wouldn't have any masters to look after us. We wouldn't have to worry about our parents, brothers, and sisters. You and I would be free from everyone who ever did us wrong._

Gizzard was taken aback. Was this really his brother? He thought something was terribly wrong with his brother. _Mortar, we need to go home. We need to get out of this world, before it turns you against those who care about you. We have friends back home and families that love us. Don't you want to see them again? Don't do this. Come back to the light before you are fallen astray…_

Mortar stared at Gizzard with a shocked look on his face. Why was his brother telling him lies, when the truth was right in front of them? He had to get away from his brother and the maddening words he brought forth.

 _Mortar, are you all right?_ Gizzard asked, hoping his brother was deciding on the right choice.

Mortar glared up at Gizzard a few seconds later. _Get out of my quarry, Gizzard. Consider this your final warning: if we cross paths again, we will fight and one of us will die. Now go and leave me to my thoughts._ He paused, and then stared furiously at his brother. _GET OUT!_

Gizzard ran out of the quarry with a bewildered look. Why had his brother done this? Why had he made the warning, when he should have listened to him in the first place? Gizzard knew one of these days Mortar would return to the light, but he had to make his brother see reason. Somehow, somewhere, he needed to find an answer.

*.*.*

Gizzard traveled for weeks, not knowing whether Mortar followed him. The whole time, Gizzard’s thoughts raced inside of him? Mortar was changed, but then he had been a handful to their parents. In more than one way, Gizzard wish their family could be reunited. But then, where were their parents now? Who would snap Mortar out of those intruding thoughts about the One Ring?

Returning to the present, Gizzard found himself in front of Bag End. Only Mortar was there, too. But Mortar had entered Bag End, in the thickening darkness that loomed outside. No, Gizzard thought, I cannot allow my brother in the hobbit’s house. Bilbo wouldn’t have wanted that. Before he had the chance to follow his brother, Gizzard fled behind a bush. Well, it was better than having no plan.

As for Mortar, one day he and his brother would face each other again. In the meantime, the older black cat, still retaining those bloodshot, maddening eyes, would find a way to repay Gizzard for his treachery, even if their last battle ended in a blood feud. For now, his mission was to find the One Ring and take it for his own – take it to Sauron? Why would he do that? The scratch toy was more than his prize.

And then there was Gollum, the creature who broke their truce. Then there was Gizzard who, unknown to him, was working on a plan to make him see the lighter side of people, creatures and life itself. It didn’t matter now to Mortar. The One Ring was so close now. How he would get it away from the Ring-bearer was another story, as would the question of whether the Ring would truly be kept secret and safe.


End file.
